Dutchmen RV Buyer Beware

[TravelswPick]

Buyer Beware Dutchmen RV and Keystone RV are knowingly and intentionally selling Fifth Wheels and toy haulers with safety issues.

We own a 2015 Voltage 3970 toy hauler. There is a loveseat recliner on the pantry slide out. The recliners are not bolted to the slide out and the platform is to short for the sofa to have all four legs touching the platform. When you sit in the recliner and then close it to stand up, the recliner will tip forward sending it's occupant flying face first into the floor.

We noted this as a defect in our PDI and our delearship was confident that it was a quick and easy fix. After all, other manufacturers have had the same issue and they have a quick and easy work around.

Dutchmen/Keystone refuse to solve the issue. Their only answer is that recliners are not intended to recline. No seriously that is their solution. Which begs the question as to why they ever installed recliners in the first place and how any consumer would know that before buy a coach that has an MSRP of $150,000.

Dutchmen and Keystone are willing to risk your safety to save themselves a couple of bucks. No matter how tempting or perfect their product may seem, we heartily recommend your second choice. We are now stuck solving the issue at our expense and knowing we should have listened when we were warned off buying a Keystone product.

[Rickeoni]

Post some pictures, might be an easy fix.

[Texastbird]

I thought Dutchmen was a Thor company.

[TravelswPick]

They are a Thor Company but managed by Keystone. In fact, our manufacturer sticker says Keystone. It's an easy fix but that isn't the point. It would have cost them less than $35 in raw materials to make the fix and earn customer good will in the process. But nope, they'd rather sell inherently dangerous recliners.

[j88hynes]

2014 Avalanche with recliners that aren't bolted down and have no issues with my recliners.

[77Travco]

Are you serious? Your "big safety issue" is a recliner that's not bolted down? Dude...

[TravelswPick]

Yes that's our safety issue, may not be a big deal to you but it is to us.

[Cumminsfan]

Just buy a different recliner and move on. Geesh, some people complain about the stupidest stuff. I blame the OP for not moving on and not getting a different TH. You knew going in that it would be that way, but you still bought it and sat in it. That's like drinking hot coffee. You know it's really hot but you still take a drink, knowing full well that you're going to burn your mouth.
I can't see blaming Dutchman or any MFG that puts inferior poorly designed items in a poorly built house on wheels. They're just doing what the rest do.


It also would be an easy fix to just stick a short piece of 1x4 or what ever size needed in front of the recliner legs.

[Happy Prospector]

Now I see why the Nanny State is getting such a hold in this country.

[raineman]

This should not be a big deal. You should take advantage of the forum. Post some pics and see if someone knows of any easy fix. Otherwise, I would just buy another recliner and move on. I don't believe manufacturers built the recliner. Maybe call the recliner maker.

[Superslif]

I have dealt with the Keystone warranty department just after Dutchman was moved over to Keystone's side. (Maybe 2012 / 2013 ) Very hard to work with them...They kept telling me "Everything that leaves this factory is built and designed 100% correct".

I have had two Dutchman products, and will be hard pressed to get a 3rd.

The one main problem I had, a 5 year old could see it was a design / build issue. Even the service tech who actually did the "fix" (Camping World) said it was a 100% build issue. But they make more money from me an hour than warranty work pays.

Was at the RV show last month, every time the wife wanted to look at a Keystone product, I said "keep walking".

Better horses down the road....

[Mac99]

Every manufacturer of any RV, in all price points ships them off
an assembly line. All of them have problems/issues and need
repairs by the selling dealer or the purchaser. Fix it yourself,
and move on to the next problem you have yet to discover.
They are all going to need repairs of something sometime and
then every year it will be something else/new. It's what make
it so much fun !!

[tuffr2]

As sad as it is we all need to push the RV manufacturers to build better products. Not sure how the auto manufactures do it. At all price points you get a much better product than 10 years ago.

To the OP - learn to fix items that do not satisfy you. If you take your RV into the dealership just look around at the kids doing the work. I do not trust RV shops at all to fix anything correctly. I go get the part and try to fix everything myself. So far so good. I have been able to fix things that break, leak, wearout.

Good luck

[raineman]

Originally Posted by Superslif

I have dealt with the Keystone warranty department just after Dutchman was moved over to Keystone's side. (Maybe 2012 / 2013 ) Very hard to work with them...They kept telling me "Everything that leaves this factory is built and designed 100% correct".

I have had two Dutchman products, and will be hard pressed to get a 3rd.

The one main problem I had, a 5 year old could see it was a design / build issue. Even the service tech who actually did the "fix" (Camping World) said it was a 100% build issue. But they make more money from me an hour than warranty work pays.

Was at the RV show last month, every time the wife wanted to look at a Keystone product, I said "keep walking".

Better horses down the road....

So far I have had the exact opposite experience with Keystone. I don't think Keystone is any worse than any other brand out there. All brands have issues sooner or later. The dealer has a lot to do with your experience with the manufacturer. Camping World has some horror stories out there.

My dealer and Keystone have been awesome so far handling any issues after purchase.